Baby P 'failed by justice system' as his mother Tracey Connelly is released from jail

Baby P has been “failed” by the criminal justice system after his mother was freed from prison, campaigners said today.

Tracey Connelly has been released after being jailed indefinitely in 2009, with a minimum of five years, for causing or allowing the toddler’s death.

Justice campaigners today said the judiciary had “failed” the 17-month-old boy in allowing his mother to “escape appropriate punishment”.

Jean Taylor, founder of the charity Families Fighting for Justice, said: “In this country it seems, children are allowed to be neglected, starved, killed with the perpetrators shown leniency for it. Where is the punishment? Five years is an insult in the name of that child. He was failed by his mother and people who were supposed to care for him and now he is being failed once again by the judiciary.”

Peter, who was 17 months, died on August 3 2007 at his home in Tottenham having sustained more than 50 injuries. He suffered months of abuse despite being on the at-risk register and having received 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

Connelly admitted the offence soon after being charged and was jailed along with her boyfriend Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen, who were convicted of the same offence.

Following a second review of her case earlier this month, a parole board recommended her release from jail. It is believed Connelly will be given a new name and hairstyle in an attempt to live her life anonymously but not a full new identity.

The National Victims Association attacked the decision.

Founder David Hines said: “I’m absolutely disgusted, where is the justice in that?

“She will just walk into a new life, protected by the state, with taxpayer’s money. It makes my blood boil. The vast majority of the public will be raging about this. My heart just goes out the to the poor extended family, they must be thinking ‘why and how can this happen?’”

Barker was also jailed for life, with a minimum of 10 years for raping a two-year-old girl and handed a 12-year sentence to run concurrently for his role in Peter’s death.

Owen had his indefinite sentence, with a minimum of three years, changed to a fixed six-year term on appeal. Following his release in August 2011 he was recalled to prison in April this year.

ends

Death: The mother of Peter Connelly has been freed after serving less than five years
Connelly admitted the offence soon after being charged and served several hundred days on remand.

She has been held at Low Newton jail near Durham, it is believed.

Connelly was given a so-called imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence, which carries a minimum term.

An IPP sentence prisoner is eligible to be considered for release by the Parole Board when the minimum term is served.

When making its decision, the Parole Board will take into account the nature of the offence, the prisoner's offending history, the prisoner's progress in prison and any statements made on behalf of the victim.

Reports from psychologists, probation officers and prison officers are also taken into account.

Connelly will remain on licence for the rest of her life and if she breaches any of the conditions, she will probably be recalled to custody.

Her son died at his home in Tottenham, north London, a day after police told Connelly she would not be prosecuted over abuse of the 17-month-old.

Connelly was jailed with her boyfriend Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen, who were convicted at trial of the same offence.

Barker was jailed for life with a minimum of 10 years for raping a two-year-old girl and given a 12-year term to run concurrently for his "major role" in Peter's death.

Owen was jailed indefinitely with a minimum three-year term but later won an appeal to lower it to a fixed six-year term.

He was freed in August 2011 but was then recalled to prison again in April this year.

News of Connelly's release comes just days after it was reported that former child protection boss Sharon Shoesmith is to receive a payout of up to £600,000 over her unfair dismissal following the Baby P tragedy.

Ms Shoesmith was fired from her £133,000-a-year job by Haringey Council without compensation in December 2008, after a report from regulator Ofsted exposed that her department failed to protect 17-month-old Peter - then known publicly as Baby P.

Her lawyers argued that she was the victim of "a flagrant breach of natural justice" fuelled by a media witch-hunt.

In May 2011, the Appeal Court concluded she was unfairly sacked because former Labour children's secretary Ed Balls and Haringey did not give her a proper chance to put her case before her removal.

The Department for Education and Haringey sought permission to attempt to overturn the ruling in the Supreme Court, but judges rejected the applications, clearing the way for her to receive compensation.

A Haringey Council spokeswoman confirmed that a settlement had been reached but the terms of the agreement were confidential.

Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles accused Haringey of "bankrolling a state-sponsored cover-up".